Regardless of considerations over a cooling EV market, Hyundai and Kia are “very bullish” as demand for his or her electrical autos stays robust.
Over the previous few months, I’m certain you’ve learn headlines like “Automakers overestimated EV demand,” however some consider they’re proper on observe. This contains Hyundai, Kia, and a number of other others.
Senior executives from the Korean automakers instructed Reuters forward of the LA Auto Present they’re seeing robust demand for electrical autos within the US.
“I’m nonetheless very bullish on the battery electrics,” defined Jose Munoz, Hyundai’s international president, forward of Friday’s occasion. Munoz pointed to doubling EV gross sales year-over-year as proof.
Hyundai and Kia’s first devoted EVs, the IONIQ 5 and EV6, each set US gross sales data in October. The robust EV demand propelled Hyundai, together with Kia, to second within the US EV market behind solely Tesla.
Hyundai claimed 4.8% of the US market by way of September, in keeping with registration knowledge reported from Automotive Information.
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In the meantime, Kia accounted for two.7% of the marketplace for a mixed 7.5%, or 64,000 EVs. Tesla remains to be in first by a large margin (57.4%), whereas GM’s Chevy (5.9%) and Ford (5.5%) slipped.
Hyundai’s development comes regardless of not qualifying for the $7,500 EV tax credit score, although the fashions do qualify by way of leasing.
Within the first 9 months of the 12 months, electrical car registrations grew 61% to just about 853,000. Electrical autos crossed the 7% mark in whole US gross sales within the first half of the 12 months and are on tempo to achieve 1 million this 12 months, in keeping with BloombergNEF.
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To place it in perspective, it took 10 years to promote a million EVs within the US, two years to achieve the second million, and simply over one 12 months to hit the third.
Hyundai and Kia see robust US EV demand
Hyundai has plans to maintain the momentum rolling regardless of delays from American automakers, together with Ford and GM.
“Primarily based on what I see, I want extra. If I had extra capability in the present day, I may promote extra automobiles,” Munoz mentioned. Hyundai started building on its first US EV and battery plant in Georgia final October. A 12 months later, the corporate says 99.9% of the inspiration work is full.
![Hyundai-first-US-EV-plant](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Hyundai-first-US-EV-plant-1.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1024)
Munoz added, “Our investments within the battery electrical plant in Savannah (Georgia) transfer on. So we’re pushing as a lot as we presumably can to get it prepared by October subsequent 12 months.”
He mentioned Hyundai is accelerating its funding and that “We’re pulling forward.” As soon as manufacturing begins, the $5.5 billion mega advanced will allow Hyundai EVs to qualify for the tax credit score, boosting its momentum additional.
![Hyundai-strong-EV-demand](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/Hyundai-second-EV-plant-2.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1024)
Hyundai adopted Tesla final month in slashing lease costs on its hottest fashions. The IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 are provided at among the least expensive charges since launching.
The automaker additionally prolonged its promotion providing a free EV charger with the acquisition or lease of choose EVs by way of January 2, 2024. The deal is nice on the 2023-2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 or a 2023 Kona electrical.
Electrek’s Take
Though greater rates of interest and inflation have stoked worry in some, Hyundai is charging forward. The corporate is trying long-term with its imaginative and prescient.
The EV market is at an all-time excessive. Gross sales are about to cross the a million mark within the US. Whereas GM and Ford are pushing again targets, Hyundai sees it as a possibility.
EV gross sales will proceed rising year-over-year, and Hyundai goals to grow to be a top-three producer by 2030. Delaying investments now would solely set the automaker again additional. As a substitute, Hyundai is doubling down and accelerating progress at its US electrical car plant.
Hyundai is attracting patrons with distinctive all-electric choices designed from the bottom up. Different EV makers, like Rivian, are additionally seeing development. The startup raised its manufacturing purpose to 54,000 for the 12 months after massive Q3 earnings.
Volvo is one other automaker that expects the expansion to proceed. With new fashions just like the EX30 (see our assessment), beginning at round $35,000, Volvo seems to be to strengthen its place within the EV market.
So, is the EV market cooling? Or are automakers decreasing expectations as a result of newer, extra aggressive fashions are hitting the market? Tell us what you guys assume within the feedback.
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